as her relations were esteemed for their in tegrity. In no part of Europe is the worth of a learned and skilful physician fo well underftood, and fo generously rewarded, as in England. In France, till very lately, phyficians were placed in a lower class. The ancients, in the opinion of Dr. Middleton, who wrote a Treatife de Conditione Medicorum apud Antiquos, rated them not much higher than slaves. In Flanders, the customary fee, to a physician, is no more than half a crown: I believe it is the fame through Holland and all Germany. But Helen's love is as honeft as her parentage. It appears, throughout the whole play, that the paffion of this sweet girl is of the nobleft kind: Nature, fays Shakspeare in Hamlet, is fine in love;' that is, it purifies and refines our passions. Before marriage Helen diminishes the blemishes of Parolles, because he is the conftant companion of Bertram, and after marriage, marriage, though the might reasonably exclaim against the feducer of her husband, with the utmost delicacy she reftrains herself from the leaft reproach: nay, converts a question, implying censure, to a mark of honour. CHAP CHAPTER XXII. Meaning of Good faith acrofs. Helen's tax of impudence, &c. Theobald defended. Several paffages explained. - A fcene of Parolles. His character.-Compared with that of Beffus.- King and no King intended to have been revived by Mr. Garrick. Why thrown afide.-Inceft an improper fubject for a play.- Don Sebaftian.-Maffinger's unnatural combat.- Beffus a pander as well as a coward. Cowardice in the abftract. No proper subject of mirth. Pa rolles admirable to the laft.---Time and Dr. Johnson.---Helen's ring.---Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex. Act. II. Scene I. King and Lafeu. LAFE U. Pardon, my lord, for me and for my tidings. KING. I'll fee thee to ftand ыр. LAFEU. LAFE U. Then here's a man Stands that has bought his pardon. 1 would you KING. I would I had, fo I had broke thy pate, LAFE U. Good faith, across. IT T was neceffary to quote these several speeches that the sense of the last words might be better understood. Dr. Johnson interprets the expreffion, a cross,' to mean, a pass in wit that mifcarries. I think quite otherwise. The King, not being, through infirmity, able to raise Lafeu from kneeling, fays he will fee him to stand up. Lafeu wishes that the King, even on the humiliating condition of asking pardon of him, his fubject, could ftand as firmly. So would I,' replied the King, though I had broken your pate at the crofs;' which, in the language of those days, fignified a very fevere blow or contufion on the head. Twefth Night, act v. Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Icene 5. has broke my head across, and given Sir Toby a bloody coxcomb too.' KING. Thus he his fpecial nothing ever prologues. So, in the Merchant of Venice, Antonio characterises Gratiano : Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing. KIN G. A ftrumpet's boldness, a divulged fhame, Traduc'd by odious ballads; my maiden's name Sear'd |